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Spyware can make its way onto a device without the end user's knowledge via an app install package, file attachment or malicious website. They can either provide real-time protection by scanning network data and blocking malicious data, or they can execute scans to detect and remove spyware already on a system. Antispyware tools can be used to prevent or remove spyware.
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Spyware can be difficult to detect often, the first indication a user has that a computing device has been infected with spyware is a noticeable reduction in processor or network connection speeds and - in the case of mobile devices - data usage and battery life. Often installed secretly on mobile phones by jealous spouses, ex-partners and even concerned parents, this type of spyware can track the physical location of the victim, intercept their emails and texts, eavesdrop on their phone calls and record conversations, and access personal data, such as photos and videos. The primary goal of spyware is usually to obtain credit card numbers, banking information and passwords.īut spyware can also be used to track a person's location, as is the case with stalkerware. Once installed, it monitors internet activity, tracks login credentials and spies on sensitive information. Spyware is one of the most common threats to internet users. Spyware is controversial because, even when it is installed for relatively innocuous reasons, it can violate the end user's privacy and has the potential to be abused. It invades the device, steals sensitive information and internet usage data, and relays it to advertisers, data firms or external users.Īny software can be classified as spyware if it is downloaded without the user's authorization. Spyware is a type of malicious software - or malware - that is installed on a computing device without the end user's knowledge.
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